New Delhi -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- The story has all the stuff that sells : a sexy starlet , a powerful enemy spy agency and lots of bare flesh .

Nude photographs of Pakistani actress Veena Malik , published in the December issue of the Indian edition of the men 's magazine FHM prompted Malik to threaten a lawsuit .

Malik said FHM doctored photographs to show her without clothes . The magazine , however , denied those allegations . Malik , editor Kabeer Sharma said , posed nude .

What made the photos even more scandalous was that Malik 's upper left arm bears the letters ISI , the acronym for Pakistan 's powerful Inter-Services Intelligence agency .

In a legal notice served to the magazine , Malik contends that it was Sharma 's idea for her to wear the painted on ISI tattoo ; she was told t would be good for her image .

And in another photo , which was originally slated for the cover , she is shown holding a grenade in her right hand .

FHM published the grenade photo inside , with a line plastered across it : `` The cover we did n't use . ''

Sharma said the magazine opted not to use the photo on the cover because it `` could have offended sensibilities . ''

But the magazine has already incensed Malik .

Lawyer Ayaz Bilawala told CNN that Malik is seeking $ 1.9 million in damages .

Bilawala said the publication `` cheated '' his client and doctored the nude pictures .

`` Proceedings -LRB- in a court of law -RRB- will begin soon , '' he said .

FHM , Bilawala said , violated its agreement with the Pakistani model that stipulated that Malik would be shown the photos from the shoot before they were published .

`` The pictures that are on display are tampered with , morphed and doctored , '' he said .

Bilawala did n't dispute the ISI print on Malik 's left upper arm but said numerous organizations worldwide used the same acronym .

He refused comment on the grenade-like object .

FHM India hinted at countersuing the actress .

`` These allegations are completely and entirely false . We are exploring various other options , including filing a countersuit , '' Sharma told CNN .

Malik said she never agreed to pose nude , the prospect of which sparked outrage in her homeland .

`` What I am doing takes a lot of guts , '' she said . `` If I had posed nude for the magazine , I would be the first to admit it . But I did n't agree to this and they are wrong .

`` I did not go for this , and I am deeply shocked and depressed about what has happened , '' she said .

But Malik is no stranger to controversy .

She triggered uproar two years ago when she claimed that her former boyfriend , Pakistani cricketer Mohammed Asif , was involved in spot-fixing international matches . Asif was found guilty last month in an English court .

A year later , the actress came under fire from Pakistani clerics who decried her behavior in the Indian reality TV show `` Big Boss , '' as `` un-Islamic . ''

`` I am not a perfect Muslim or a perfect person , but I have n't committed a crime , and unfortunately things like this are part and parcel of the industry I work in , '' Malik said .

Still , she downplayed her criticism back home .

`` I am not bothered about what they think , '' she said . `` My fans and many Pakistanis support me and believe -LRB- in -RRB- me . ''

Harmeet Shah Singh reported from New Delhi and Shaan Khan reported from Islamabad , Pakistan .

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The magazine , FHM India , denies Veena Malik 's allegation

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An attorney for Malik says nude photos in December issue were `` doctored ''

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On cover , she holds what appears to be a grenade , has `` ISI '' written on her left arm

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Malik 's attorney says the actress is seeking $ 1.9 million in damages